


Home Is Where You Are

by chuchino



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Homeless, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28307193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chuchino/pseuds/chuchino
Summary: Sykkuno's just a socially awkward college student, struggling to juggle his classes, job, and paying his rent and water bill on time. He was ready to spend his senior year quietly finishing his thesis and spending his free time playing League of Legends.Until he met a mysterious stranger in the alleyway outside his apartment.
Relationships: Corpse Husband & Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Corpse Husband/Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 275





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas everyone! Honestly, I've only really written one-shots since my attention is easily distracted. But I figured as a present to this lovely fandom, I'd give a try at a chaptered fanfic. I started this weeks ago, and wanted to finish the entire thing by Christmas, but clearly I didn't make that deadline. Personally, I enjoy reading everything at once, so I was debating if I should hold off on posting this until I finished the last chapter, or if I should just post it as I write. 
> 
> This was a little idea that's been swirling around in my head. I aged down the characters so Sykkuno's 23 and Corpse's 18. Brownie points for anyone who can find the little Easter eggs scattered throughout. This started off wholesome (I swear), but I just couldn't help but sprinkle in smut in later chapters, so the rating will definitely be changing to Explicit later on LOL.
> 
> Like with all the fics, this is not based on real life. This is just the persona of the characters. If Sykkuno or Corpse speak out saying they're against this, I'll take the fic down. Also low-key crossing my fingers that they'll never find this and read it. Oh Jesus >.< Also, this isn't beta-ed or proofread, so uh, sorry for any mistakes!

Sykkuno yawned again, hiding the motion behind his hand and slouching down in his seat. He forced himself to blink, trying to keep his attention on the professor, who was droning on about numbers. 

Sykkuno focused his tired eyes on the board, not making sense of any of the numbers and letters and looked down at his blank sheet of notes. Ugh, why did he choose statistics as his major? 

He silently berated himself for staying up too late again. Even with knowing he had an early class the next day, Sykkuno still ended up online playing League into the early morning hours. 

_Not the greatest idea_ , he thought, knowing that he’ll probably do it again, as was the trend months beforehand. 

As his final year in college, Sykkuno had started the year a little optimistic. Sure, he didn’t have any close friends, and he was shy and awkward, but he vowed that he would try to be more confident. He tried his best to say hello, and even attempted to start a few conversations with his classmates, but after a few weeks, he could feel them giving him a polite distance. Maybe it was his stuttering, maybe it was his social awkwardness. 

Sykkuno quickly abandoned the grand scheme he had for his senior year and retreated back into his shell, where he spent his nights at home playing games online instead of going out to clubs and parties. He would’ve been standing awkwardly in the corner anyways. At least online, with no one looking at him, he didn’t need to worry about maintaining eye contact or smiling. As long as he did well in his games, his teammates were happy and even gave him compliments. 

Completely zoning out, Sykkuno missed most of the lecture, only tuning back in as the professor dismissed the class, reminding them of the homework they had due at the end of the week. 

“Remember,” the professor called out over the sound of scraping chairs as students got up to leave. “Please submit it in the course dropbox before midnight! Any late submissions will not be accepted.”

Sykkuno hurried to shove his notebook into his bag, slinging the messenger bag over his shoulder. He’ll catch up on the lesson with the textbook later. He joined the swarm of students filing out of the door, shuffling down the hallway and out of the building block.

With his last class out of the way, he headed over to the lab for his part time job. He enjoyed his job as a labbie, as most days it was quiet and peaceful while he caught up on his assignments. Besides, it paid decently for a college job as he tried to support himself. His parents had been kind enough to offer to pay for his housing, but Sykkuno felt guilty and eventually agreed as long as they paid for half of it. 

He did manage to find a studio apartment off campus for cheap, though that might’ve been due to the sketchy neighborhood it was in. But Sykkuno hadn’t had any issues so far with the place. Sure it was old and small, with an outrageous water bill, but he didn’t have to deal with any troublesome roommates, and it was only a short walk to the nearest bus stop. 

Sykkuno reached the labs, clocking in, and took a seat at one of the computers in the front of the room, digging out his laptop and opening his Advanced Probability course ebook. He knew senior year was going to be rough, but even just a few weeks in, he could feel the stress building up. Along with his senior research project, the other courses he was taking was definitely not easy. 

Sykkuno put on his glasses and lost track of the time as he worked through his assignments. He had to stop a couple times as students came by to ask questions, mostly to get something to print. Time passed quickly, and Sykkuno looked up at the clock as he felt his stomach growling. 

9pm already. Guess it was past dinnertime. Sykkuno knew his mom would disapprove, and he agreed his diet of frozen burritos and fast food definitely wasn’t healthy, but it was cheap and fast. As a poor college student paying for his own groceries, cheap meant good. 

He started to pack his work into his bag, strapping it over his shoulder. He took off his glasses, rubbing at his eyes. He glanced at the lab, making sure everything was tidy and in place for the next labbie to take his place before shutting off the lights and locking up the door. 

He walked briskly through the campus, as it was already nighttime. He didn’t want to miss the bus and wait for the next one. He was lucky to have made it, running the last few feet to catch it. Sykkuno collapsed in a seat near the front, trying to catch his breath. 

As the bus pulled away from the campus to make its way through the city, Sykkuno leaned back and stared out the window, watching the scenery pass by, inwardly sighing. He had been so optimistic that this year would be different, though now he couldn’t even imagine why. It’s not like the universe would treat him differently, just because he was a senior. 

He felt frustrated somehow, but not knowing why. He just knew he wasn’t happy with where he was in life right now. Wasn’t that what college was about? Finding who you were? Sykkuno felt like he failed terribly in that department so far. 

In his musing, he almost missed his stop, reaching up to pull the line to stop the bus last minute. The driver jerked the bus to a stop, but he gave Sykkuno a glare as he stood up to get off.

“S-s-sorry!” Sykkuno stuttered as he passed, quickly dropping his gaze to the ground and got off. It wasn’t on purpose, he didn’t mean to make the guy so mad. Sykkuno sighed, feeling like he was an inconvenience to everyone he came across. 

He started walking to the direction of his apartment at a brisk pace. It wasn’t the best neighborhood, and probably wasn’t the safest place to be out at night. He kept to the main street that was illuminated by the streetlights. As long as he didn’t venture down any dark, sketchy alleyways, he should be fine. 

A block away from his apartment, Sykkuno heard a noise as he was walking past an alleyway. He stopped, frozen in his tracks, scanning up and down the street. Not seeing anyone, he cautiously started walking again, before hearing the noise again. It sounded like…whimpering? 

He peered around again, and noticed a lumpy shape crouched in the alleyway. Sykkuno gulped. He stood there conflicted. _What if it was someone who needed his help?_ He thought. He couldn’t abandon someone in need.

On the other hand, what if it was a trap? A drug dealer or mugger just waiting for him to let down his guard? 

“H-h-hello?” he called, wincing at his stutter. “A-are you okay?” 

There was no response, but the lump moved a little. Peering into the darkness, Sykkuno saw the person raise up their head. The person sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve. He was in an oversized black bulky hoodie that looked worn and frayed. 

Sykkuno prayed he wasn’t going to get mugged and inched his way closer to the alleyway. 

“Uhhh,” he paused. “A-are you alright?”

The person looked up at him, and Sykkuno was startled to stare into brown, soulful eyes. He couldn’t look away until the other guy broke contact, sniffling. 

“I’m fine.” The other guy replied, soft and in such a low tone Sykkuno almost missed it. 

He blinked, not expecting such a deep, calming voice.

“O..oh, uh…okay.” Sykkuno stammered, not knowing what else to say. It felt weird to introduce himself, sketchy to ask for a name, and definitely rude to press for more info. Cursing his social awkwardness again, he mumbled, “Well, goodnight then!” before turning back around to the main street again. 

Against his better judgement, he glanced back at one more sight of the guy. The guy stared back, still sitting with his back against the alleyway wall. With a nod, he broke eye contact and stared up at the night sky. Sykkuno gave an awkward wave and walked away, heading home.

After a few more minutes, he reached his dinky apartment building complex, walking up the three flights of rickety stairs and down the hallway with a broken light before stopping in front of his apartment door. Digging through his bag for his keys, Sykkuno entered his quiet apartment and closed the door. 

Finally, in the safe place of his apartment, he felt himself relax. There was no need to put up a front or worry that he’ll say the wrong thing to offend someone. Here, he could just be himself. 

Dropping his bag to the floor, he stepped out of his sneakers and shuffled into the kitchen, opening the freezer and picking out a frozen burrito. There was hardly any food left…he’d need to make another trip to the store soon, Sykkuno noted. He did a few quick mental calculations, praying he had enough to make it through the month. He lived frugally, trying to save as much as he could. 

Putting the burrito on a plate to defrost, Sykkuno went into his room, grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the small connecting bathroom. Taking a quick shower, he changed into comfy sweats and a t-shirt. He padded out, heating the burrito in the microwave and drying his hair with a towel. 

When the microwave beeped at him, he took the burrito out, taking the plate over to where his desktop was. Another night, same routine. Sykkuno booted up his desktop as he munched on his burrito. Loading up League, he made sure his mic was working before starting to queue for a game. 

While he was waiting, Sykkuno finished his quick dinner and washed the plate, getting back in time just to accept the match. As champion bans and select got locked in, Sykkuno started recording. 

“What’s up guys? It’s Sykkuno here!” he announced cheerfully. “And today, we’re playing Lee Sin in the jungle.” 

Sykkuno’s commentary of the game went on as he played game after game. Knowing that he’ll regret the lack of sleep again the next day, Sykkuno made peace with the fact that he’ll wake up early to make a cup of coffee to survive the next day. And so, he lost track of time as he indulged himself in the world of League.


	2. Chapter 2

Sykkuno cursed at his sleep deprived self as he stumbled across the kitchen, almost spilling hot coffee on himself as he poured it in a tumbler. Multi-tasking, he also tugged on one of his socks and grabbed his green scarf hanging off the back of the kitchen chair. 

_I’m late, I’m late, oh Jesus I’m so late_. 

He ran back to his bedroom to grab a hoodie from his bed and pulled it over his head. Trying his best to finger comb his hair and losing the fight to style it, he gave up and grabbed his book bag instead, slinging it over his shoulder. 

Rushing back into the kitchen, he grabbed a pack of Pop-tart and his coffee before rushing out the door, fumbling to lock the door. 

He looked at his phone quickly. If he sprinted, he might make it in time for the bus. He jogged down the stairs, and down the street, hoping his poor lungs would survive the run. He really needed more exercise. 

The streets were quiet this early in the morning, and Sykkuno didn’t pass anyone on the street, until he approached the same alleyway from last night. A small cough stopped him. He glanced over, huffing to catch his breath, and saw the same figure in black, huddled against the wall. 

Sykkuno took a few uncertain steps toward the guy. “Um….hello…hi?” 

It took a few tries, but the guy looked up at him again, blinking. His eyes seemed unfocused, and he coughed quietly a few times. Sykkuno felt a pain of worry. Had the guy been outside the entire night? It was getting colder in the year, and he didn’t seem well-dressed for the weather. 

The guy continued to stare at him, and Sykkuno blushed as the silence stretched on. 

“Uh….” he said awkwardly, trying to fill in the silence. “Are…are you okay? Were you here all night?” 

The guy simply nodded. Sykkuno didn’t want to be that guy to just intrude and ask, but he felt concerned. However, he also remembered he had a bus to catch if he wanted to make his lecture on time. 

“Okay, well, if you’re okay…” He trailed off. “Look, I gotta run, but here.” He held out the slightly crushed Pop-tart package from his hoodie pocket. 

“It looks like you need it more than I do.” He said gently. 

There was a pause, before the other guy reached out and took it. He cleared his voice before murmuring a soft “Thanks.”

Sykkuno smiled again, hiding it behind his hand. “Take care!” He waved before sprinting down the street again. 

The guy stared after him, as Sykkuno’s figure became smaller and disappear as he turned the corner. Stunned at how beautiful, radiant, and kind the random stranger was, he just stared at the package of Pop-tart in his hands before slowly and carefully tearing it open. 

He ate it slowly, savoring every bite. Who knows when his next meal would be. Speaking of which, he needed to find a way to make money now that he was on his own. Standing up and groaning at the ache and pain from crouching so long, he stretched, hearing his joints pop. He burrowed into his black hoodie, slowly starting down the street. 

Right. A job. He didn’t need anything fancy. How hard could it be? 

—

Sykkuno sighed a breath of relief as his professor wrapped up the class. He had made it to the bus with moments to spare, spending the first minutes on the bus trying to catch his breath. He had chugged half his coffee, inwardly crying at the loss of his breakfast. But he was sure the other guy needed it more. 

_I hope he’s okay_ , Sykkuno thought. The guy had a bulky figure even hunched over on the ground. But his eyes reminded Sykkuno of a lost child. He wanted to know more. What was his name? How old was he? What happened? But he shook the curiosity off as the bus approached campus. It wasn’t like the other guy was obligated to tell him anything. 

Sykkuno went through the motions, navigating through his classes on autopilot. He kept his head down, staying quiet in his lectures, and tried taking notes as best as he could, trying to ignore his stomach’s rumbles. He was lucky his last class ended early with the afternoon free for his thesis research. 

He had planned to get some bulk of his work done during his lab shift, knowing that he wouldn’t focus at home and would be too distracted by his desktop. He made a trip quickly down to the small convenience store close off campus, buying a cheap sandwich and chocolate bar for his lunch since he had woken up too late to pack a lunch. 

The day passed quickly and he lost himself in a world of numbers and variables, reading through papers and references. 

—

Corpse cursed for what seemed to be the thousandth time that day after getting rejected from yet another place. 

Why the hell did they care if he graduated from high school or not? He could stack shelves regardless. …He did suppose the not having a valid ID or society security number might’ve also been a factor. 

He sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He was pretty sure no one was going to hire an underaged kid without legal papers. He had been too optimistic. When he had run away from home, it never occurred to him what he needed to grab. Not that he even knew where they were kept. In his naive mind, he took all the money he had saved up, which was around $100, and left, never looking back. 

Now, the stress was starting to pile up. He had been sleeping out in the alleyways, but the weather was getting colder. He needed money for clothes, his funds for food and water was dwindling, and he was pretty sure a cold was starting to settle in with how frequently he had to cough. 

He was extremely lucky no one had tried to jump him yet, though he kept a small black switchblade hidden in his hoodie pocket. Maybe it was his tall figure for his age, or the hardened steel look in his eyes, but people tended to walk by giving him a wide berth. Everyone except for the stranger that stopped twice who kept popping back into Corpse’s mind. 

Corpse wandered back to the alleyway he had started to dub as ‘his’, wondering idly if the guy lived nearby in the area. It wasn’t a really safe place for a guy like him. _I hope he’s able to defend himself…_ Corpse thought, running his fingers alongside his pocketknife in his pocket.

He got back to his corner, collapsing on the ground and putting his head down to his knees. He felt his stomach protesting, but he figured he could last until tomorrow without food since he had eaten the Pop-tarts this morning. 

However, his options were quickly dwindling. He had made a promise to himself when he walked away from his family that he wouldn’t follow in their footsteps. No matter how rough things got, he wouldn’t turn to drugs. He remembered before he dropped out of school, how his teachers would talk behind his back, labeling as a future druggie dealer. Corpse gritted his teeth. No, he wouldn’t let them have the satisfaction of being right. 

He hugged his hoodie closer to his body, trying to draw in his own warmth more as the sky got darker, closing his eyes. Not that he had slept for more than an hour or two, but he tried his best to doze off, drifting in and out of a light slumber. 

—

Sykkuno yawned as he trekked home, getting off campus way later than he had expected. His co-worker had called in sick last minute, and Sykkuno ended up staying for a double shift. Not that he was complaining, as it meant more money and gave him more time to work on his final. He had actually made decent progress on it. But it also meant he was functioning off of nothing but coffee and a sandwich. Even a frozen microwave burrito sounded like a 5 course meal at this point. 

Sykkuno popped another piece of chocolate in his mouth, savoring the sweetness, hoping it would curb his hunger for the last few minutes before he got home. He was passing by the alleyway and stopped automatically, looking over and seeing the familiar huddled figure. 

He bit his lip in worry. Had the guy moved at all? He hadn’t looked up yet…was he asleep? He had guts…being able to sleep out in these sketchy parts. Sykkuno paused for another minute before readjusting his bag strap and made his way closer over to the alleyway. 

He approached the guy slowly, not wanting to startle him. He had his hood up and his arms around his knees, curled up in a tight ball. His breathing was slow but even. Sykkuno thought about reaching out before he decided sleep was important. Quickly, he drew out the rest of his half eaten chocolate bar. He placed it on the ground next to the guy, murmuring “Goodnight” and backing away. 

He made the rest of the way home without incident, and locked the door after he entered his small apartment. With another tired yawn, he decided on instant cup noodles for dinner. He scarfed down his quick dinner, and made his way to his desktop, booting it up to sort through the footage files he had recorded the day prior. 

He opened the editing program and started to work on cutting and editing the files for his YouTube channel. It was small, but it was what he enjoyed. It was still jarring having to replay the clips, hearing his own voice commentating back to him, sounded way too excited and forced. Honestly, he was trying to copy the other gaming content he watched. No one wanted to hear his quiet, stuttering self. 

Sykkuno finished editing his newest video a couple hours later, adding a simple thumbnail and loaded it to publish before shutting his monitor and desktop off and collapsing into bed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter 2! It's a pretty slow start - I wanted to flesh things out with a chaptered fic. In hindsight, I realized I could've just done a Christmas one-shot, but instead, my brain was like "No, go for a full on multi-chaptered fic!" With how it's looking now, I'd estimate 10 chapters minimum. Realistically, it's probably around 15 :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy end of 2020! This year has been tough on me mentally, and I'm sure everyone is happy to call an end to 2020. However, I am thankful for the opportunities it created. I've watched Sykkuno's content back when he was faceless and did League videos, and I'm super happy he's getting the love he deserves. I'm also happy that I discovered a lot of new streamers and content creators. I've listened to a bunch of Corpse's horror videos during work. Watching everyone's streams really are the highlights of my day, and I'm super grateful for how they've kept my spirits up and kept me laughing. It's really inspiring for me to keep going, and maybe pick up streaming as well. 
> 
> Despite this year being overall shitty, I'm glad there are also a few positive moments in 2020. Stay safe everyone, and Happy 2021 :) 
> 
> Happy reading everyone!

Sykkuno woke up as the morning sun hit his eyes. Groaning, he sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. He must’ve been too tired and had forgotten to close the blinds last night. He yawned and stretched before reaching for his phone to check the time. 

He had woken up earlier than usual, even before his alarm went off. He shuffled over to his bathroom to freshen up for the day. 

After a quick shower and towel drying his hair, Sykkuno got dressed for the day in a teal long sleeve shirt and dark navy skinny jeans. He made sure he had his bag ready for the day and even remembered to pack a simple lunch and had a quick granola bar for breakfast. 

He had put on a jacket and was trying his shoelaces ready to head out before he went back into the kitchen to grab another granola bar. Sliding it in his coat pocket, he made sure he had his bag and keys before locking up the apartment. 

It was a nice day outside, birds chirping with blue skies and sunshine. There was a light breeze that blew by. Sykkuno made his way down his usual path to the bus stop, planning on stopping by the alleyway again. 

When he got there, Sykkuno noticed the guy was awake, the chocolate bar he had left not in sight. He paused, giving a stutter when the guy noticed him and stared.

“U-u-uh…” Sykkuno inched forward, offering him the granola bar he had. “H-here you go.” 

He watched as the other boy reached a hand out, noticing black chipped nail polish, before squinting suspiciously and asked in a rough voice.

“Why.” It was phrased not as a question. 

“U-um, E-er, I mean…” Sykkuno felt himself beginning to blush, embarrassed by his stuttering. “I just wanted to help.” 

The guy’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not a pity case.” He said in a low tone. 

“No, no!” Sykkuno cried out. “I just…” He took a deep breath. “Hi, I’m Sykkuno.” He tried again, awkwardly offering his hand out for a handshake. After a moment of silence, he retracted his hand and ended up doing an awkward half wave. 

The other guy didn’t offer up his name, but nodded slowly. Sykkuno took that as a sign to press on.

“I just thought, granola bars are healthy for you…and um…these are nice and crunchy..uh…chocolate chip and peanut butter…yup…good for your health!” Sykkuno blabbered on, and hid his face behind his hands. Oh Jesus, why couldn’t he hold a simple conversation. 

Hearing a small chuckle, he peeked up. The guy had his hood still up, covering the lower half of his face, but Sykkuno saw his shoulders move as he giggled. That sound…Sykkuno felt his heart thumping, wanting to hear it more. It made him want to do anything, say anything to get a proper laugh. 

“Thanks man.” The guy took the granola bar from Sykkuno. “It’s been rough.”

Sykkuno gave a sympathetic hum. “You’re welcome….uh….oh I’m so sorry, I didn’t even ask for your name!”

The man shook his head before replying. “It’s okay…I…I don’t really use my name. Bad memories y’know?” 

Sykkuno’s eyes widened with empathy. He must’ve gone through a lot. 

“Call me whatever you want, I don’t particularly care.” The man shrugged. 

Sykkuno thought for a bit.

“Corpse.” He suggested. “Y’know…cuz you look half dead…like a corpse?” He giggled nervously. “Oh man, I did NOT mean it that way. I swear, it sounded less…offensive in my head!” 

The guy let out another low chuckle. “Sure, Corpse.” He agreed easily. 

Sykkuno beamed. “Nice to meet you Corpse!” He smiled behind his head. “Enjoy the breakfast, I gotta run to catch my class!” 

With a wave, Sykkuno left in high spirits. He got a conversation and a name! And a few laughs! 

Corpse watched him leave, slowly unwrapping the granola bar given to him and taking a small bite. Even he had to admit, it was a pretty good start to the day. In fact, Sykkuno was the highlight of what had been chalking up to a pretty shitty month. 

Sykkuno, Corpse thought, taking a moment to repeat that name in his head. A strange name, but it suited him. I guess he was a bit quirky, after naming Corpse…Corpse. 

Corpse got up, dusting his pants. Alright, another day of job hunting. He could do this.

—

The days passed quickly. It became a routine in Sykkuno’s life to stop by the alleyway before and after his classes. _Corpse’s alleyway_ , his mind had dubbed it. Sometimes the man wasn’t there, but majority of the time, he was hunched in the corner. 

Sykkuno always left him with something to eat and drink. He couldn’t help but feel worry flood him every time he noticed how thin Corpse was starting to look, underneath his padded hoodie. 

Corpse had gotten used to being rejected over and over again at places. He felt the frustration and pain building up, but also looked forward to his short meetings with Sykkuno. Hearing the other man’s voice was soothing and calmed him down. 

In the past few days, Corpse felt his urge to cough steadily building up, breaking off his sentences to cough quietly in his arm. Sykkuno had asked if he was okay with a worrying look, but Corpse had shrugged it off. Sykkuno was already bringing him food and drinks, he couldn’t ask for more. 

Besides, he looked like a struggling college student and Corpse still had his pride. 

It all fell apart a few days later. 

Sykkuno’s classes had started to pick up, along with his thesis, and he was struggling to juggle everything. It became more and more common for him to stay late onto campus, catching the last bus back into the city, such as today, as he ran down the street, trying to shield his head from the down pouring rain. 

He hadn’t checked his phone for the weather before he had left this morning, and he definitely hadn’t packed an umbrella. He ran faster, praying that his stuff would still be dry in his backpack. The last thing he needed to do was to try and decipher wet lecture notes. At least it was the end of the week. A silver lining, he supposed. He was looking forward to recharge and spend the weekend relaxing with some League.

As he sprinted down the road to home, Sykkuno suddenly thought about Corpse. 

_I hope he found somewhere dry._ Sykunno thought as he ducked into the now familiar alleyway to look and gasped.

Corpse had definitely not found somewhere more dry. In fact, he wasn’t moving at all. 

“Corpse? Corpse?!” Sykkuno crouched down, soaking his jeans on the ground. “Corpse! Are you okay?”

There was a faint groan, and Sykkuno was close enough to see Corpse’s eyelashes flutter in the dim street lights. 

“Corpse?” Sykkuno called, gently brushing away wet curls of hair matted from the rain and placing a hand on his wet forehead. He was burning up.

“O-o-oh my god Corpse!” Sykkuno said panicking. He looked up; the rain was showing no sign of stopping soon. 

“Corpse, Corpse!” He shook Corpse’s shoulder gently and Corpse gave a groan in response. “Corpse, can you stand?”

Corpse made another noncommittal voice that Sykkuno took as a yes. He moved to Corpse’s side, helping him stand and lean on for support. 

“Okay Corpse,” Sykkuno said in an even tone, trying to stay calm. “I live pretty close to here. We can take it slow. We’re gonna walk…okay?” 

—

After a grueling 10 minutes, Sykkuno panted completed out of breath, finally coming to a stop in front of his apartment. Both he and Corpse were dripping wet, and Sykkuno inwardly cursed at the apartment complex being so old it didn’t have an elevator. Climbing up 3 flights of stairs with a half conscious person heavier than him was not something he wanted to do again. 

Still breathing hard, Sykkuno dug around his now very wet backpack for his keys. He pushed the door open, slowly leading Corpse in and sat him down on the kitchen door.

Sykkuno toed off his sneakers and wet socks and ran to the bathroom for a couple of towels. He slung one around his neck and hurried back to Corpse, gently drying his hair. Corpse slouched in the chair, still out of it. 

Sykkuno worriedly pressed a hand against his forehead again, feeling how hot Corpse was. He went into the kitchen and opened a cabinet door, standing on his tip toes. He knew he had a stash of medicine somewhere saved for emergencies. He grabbed a box of Ny-quil and a cup of water before rushing back to Corpse. 

“Here Corpse,” he said gently, placing the pills in Corpse’s hand. “Take it, you’ll feel better.” He handed Corpse the cup of water as well, rubbing his back reassuringly as Corpse swallowed the pills in one go. He gulped down the rest of the water as well. 

Sykkuno handed the towel to Corpse, trying to dry off the rest of Corpse’s hair. He looked worriedly at his wet clothes.

“Hang on,” Sykkuno called, turning to go to his bedroom. “Let me see if I have clothes that fit.” 

Once in his room, Sykkuno dug around in his closet, finding a pair of sweats and an extra large T-shirt that was free from a college event. It was way too big for him, but maybe it’ll fit Corpse. Sykkuno also stripped out of his own wet clothes, changing quickly into a worn shirt and his comfy cactus pajama pants. 

Walking out, he handed the clothes to Corpse before helping him stand and walk to the bathroom. 

“This way.” Sykkuno said, guiding him. “I hope these fit.” 

Corpse wobbled into the bathroom before slumping on the toilet. Sykkuno followed him in, concerned. “Corpse?” 

He nudged the other’s shoulder. “C-Corpse? You gotta get out of your wet clothes.” 

Not getting a response, Sykkuno hesitated for a few seconds before asking, “Do you want me to help?” 

Corpse gave a small nod, still burning up. 

Sykkuno took a deep breath before grasping the hoodie’s zipper and pulling it down gently. He helped Corpse get his arms out of the sleeves and tugged the black T-shirt Corpse was wearing over his head. Blushing, he tried not to stare at Corpse’s body. 

Taking the towel, he dried Corpse’s body off before helping Corpse into the dry shirt. Luckily it fit, even if it was an ugly orange color. Hopefully Corpse wouldn’t mind. Sykkuno hooked his fingers on the belt loops of Corpse’s wet jeans, hand shaking as he undid the zipper. 

Struggling to tug the wet jeans off the other boy, Sykkuno felt his face flush red. Corpse helped him by squirming a little, and Sykkuno tossed the pair of boxers he grabbed to Corpse. He looked dutifully away to give Corpse a little privacy, but helped tug the dry pair of sweats on. 

He helped Corpse stand up again, shuffling him to his bedroom and laid him on his bed, tucking him in his comforter. 

He smiled fondly at the view of Corpse, with his curly mussed up hair, and sleepy eyes. 

“Goodnight Corpse.” He murmured. “Hope you feel better.” He reached out and brushed a hand across Corpse’s cheek. Corpse caught his hand and squeezed it gently. Sykkuno squeezed back. 

He got up quietly, shut off the lights, and closed the door gently. He shuffled in the small apartment, hanging up the wet clothes and towels in the bathroom, microwaving a hot dog for dinner, and checked his bag for water damage. Luckily, only a few notes suffered, and he left them out to dry. 

He was setting up the couch with a thin extra blanket he had before quietly going back to his room and setting a bottle of Advil and water on his bedside table for Corpse the next morning. 

Waddling, he made his way back to the couch and fell asleep almost instantly as soon as his head hit the couch pillow. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Happy Holidays and stay safe! Next chapter will be up soon! :)


End file.
